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The Danube-class was first commissioned by Starfleet in 2368 for use as a light multipurpose craft in situations that demanded a vessel more capable than a standard shuttlecraft, but lower profile than a full-sized starship. With this flexibility, a runabout could be utilized as a long-range personnel and cargo transport, an agile mobile defense platform, or a high-speed reconnaissance vehicle. (DS9: "Paradise")

The innovative feature that made the runabout possible was its compact, high-performance warp propulsion system. Runabouts were designed to have a maximum speed of warp 5. (DS9: "Dax") Their overall width was 14 meters. (DS9: "Playing God")

The Danube-class runabouts were also equipped with an aft tractor beam emitter. This emitter could be used to tow starships at least as large as a Galor-class. (DS9: "Emissary") It was also capable of being rigged to tow at warp velocities. (DS9: "Paradise")

Ideally, a runabout was piloted by two crewmembers, although one pilot would suffice. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I") The pilots' consoles faced forward upon two large portholes. The cockpit had stations for up to four crewmembers. The two large portholes were equipped with retractable blast shutters. (DS9: "One Little Ship") Small square viewscreens mounted within the forward corners of the cabin were used for video communication and ship status displays. (DS9: "Vortex")

In the original configuration, a food replicator and a compact personnel transporter were located immediately behind the cockpit stations. After the class underwent a refit as hostilities arose between the Federation and the Dominion, the transporter and replicator were moved further back and a secondary tactical console was positioned in the cockpit. The transporter was capable of transporting multiple persons simultaneously. (DS9: "Vortex")

The aft interior cabin area

The rear of the craft could be configured as a large crew cabin complete with sleeping and dining areas for extended travel. (TNG: "Timescape"; DS9: "The Jem'Hadar", "Let He Who Is Without Sin...") This area could also be used as a cargo bay. (DS9: "Tribunal")
In the center of the craft, between the two wing pylons, a series of replaceable modules could be connected. These modules could be swapped to suit mission requirements. Examples of available modules included science laboratories, crew quarters, and photon or quantum torpedo bays. (DS9: "Melora")

The runabout was equipped with at least one manual escape hatch, located near the front side of the vehicle. (DS9: "Battle Lines") A small Jefferies tube was also present, immediately underneath the warp core that ran along the spine of the vessel. (DS9: "Blaze of Glory")

Interestingly enough, the aft cabin sections were never seen in any of the Deep Space Nine episodes wherein they were a staple of the series, yet the aft cabin was featured prominently in the only TNG episode, "Timescape", in which the runabout was seen.